Strong quake kills 13, injures hundreds, on Indonesia holiday island

The shallow 6.4-magnitude quake jolted the island in the early morning, sending people running outside in panic and triggering landslides on popular mountain hiking routes. Scores of aftershocks sparked fear among survivors. More than 120 were recorded, the biggest with a magnitude of 5.7, Indonesia’s meteorology agency said. Local officials have declared a three day state emergency, according to multiple television reports. “Thirteen people have died, hundreds of people were injured and thousands of homes were damaged in the earthquake in East Lombok. We are still collecting data,” Indonesian disaster mitigation agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement. One Malaysian was killed and six injured, the Malaysian foreign ministry said. “All of them were at the foot of Mount Rinjani when the incident happened,” it said. The constant aftershocks sparked terrified shouts among scores of people made homeless in the eastern village of Sembalun, an AFP reporter said. Some 200 people from 35 families whose house were damaged or destroyed had pitched tents there. The roof of a health clinic had collapsed and its walls had cracked. “People are traumatised and too scared to return home for fear the aftershocks could destroy their homes completely,” the reporter said. “Everytime there is an aftershock they cry out in fear and tremors can still be felt constantly.” Evacuees told AFP they badly needed blankets and instant food because there was no time to bring anything when they fled their homes. Popular trekking trails on Mount Rinjani were closed because of… [Read full story]